The Spoils of War
by Kage Komori
Summary: To save the Makai from an unknown evil the Reikai Tantei must rely on a demon from Youko's past to help them gather the pieces of an ancient, powerful artifact. But when questions arise without answers they begin to wonder if everything is as it should be
1. Chapter 1

The Spoils of War

Chapter One

Introductions

Since the beginning of creation the universe has remained in a constant balance. Light and dark. Good and bad. Just and unjust. Heaven and Hell. You get the point. Two worlds of creation, where all things upon are destined to die. And two worlds to over see those worlds, two worlds of eternity, otherwise known as the afterlife.

Up until 500 years ago it remained this way, and the four worlds thrived. But, of course, a healthy hunger for power was what threw the balance off. After a fight, good triumphed and the universe was restored to its proper functioning balance. At least as functioning as a world of destructive apes and chaotic demons can be with only one afterlife to over see them all.

But somewhere between the time of creation and the present, someone came up with the idea to create something of their own. While this practice is very common, what exactly they created was very uncommon. So uncommon that to this day it is still the only one of its kind, making it extremely valuable to whoever has possession of it. Unfortunately for the three worlds of human, spirit, and demon, it has been kept within the family for generations. At least it was until the last of the line lost it to the wilds of Makai. And as every story goes, now that it is free of its guardian, someone wants it.

Isn't life just peachy?

* * *

"Koenma I've already told you I don't know where it is!" she yelled.

"But you know who does! You gave it away, who did you give it to?!" The godling yelled in return.

"You mean you don't know? My my Koenma, your ogres are losing their touch." she smirked.

Currently the young prince sat in his office, half standing half sitting behind his desk. In front of him, guarded by two large ogres, sat a she demon, who was currently glaring fiercely at him. Large black bat ears were flattened against a long mane of black hair. She sat cross legged, being forced down by the large hands of the ogres, as a pair of black wings fluttered behind her in annoyance.

Cold blue eyes of the demon stared into the brown eyes of the currently teenage prince. The stare off continued for several minutes and then the prince blinked.

"Damn."

"Ha!" the demon cheered.

Rolling his eyes his face became serious again. "It belonged to you. You were responsible for it. I know you wouldn't have given it away to just anyone." He began, his voice soft. "Please Komori, I need to know so I can send my team after it."

"What do you mean 'were'?" she asked incredulously.

"Komori!" he roared

Komori sighed. "Koenma, nothing you say or offer is going to convince me to tell you." she said simply, a very determined look on her face.

"Even your freedom?" the prince asked. He watched the demon's ears perk and her eyes staring at him with disbelief mixed with a small amount of hope, and smirked. That got her attention.

"Freedom huh? All for just telling you who I gave it to?"

"Yes, just for the name."

Komori looked up to the bright ceiling as if contemplating. It only lasted for a moment before she turned back to him. "How about instead of giving you the name for your boys to just run around and play with I go with them and show them exactly what they need and exactly where to find it? Because if I just give them a name they are going to be running around for the demonsies to find before they can get it for you."

"Oh I think they could handle themselves, Komori. They have plenty of experience with Makai." Koenma replied.

"Maybe so, but Koenma, the only way I'm going to give them the name is if I can go with them."

"Why do you want to go with them Komori? I thought you hated going to Makai."

"Oh, I do. But I want to see it, just one last time." the demon smirked, her eyes sparkling.

* * *

"So, why are we here again? Weren't we fired?" Kuwabara asked as he lounged on a couch in Koenma's office. Botan had come to them with some urgent message in the dead of night and brought the four ex-detective team back to a very familiar office. However the toddler was no where to be seen.

"Yes we were, but it seems Koenma hasn't lost his need for us yet." Kurama replied calmly from leaning against a nearby wall. Even he looked slightly miffed by being back.

"Well this is a damn great time to summon us back after two years! And he isn't even here! Botan, you said he called us here, so where the hell is he?!" Yusuke yelled, not very happy about being pulled out of bed at 3 in the morning.

"Umm...well...he was here when I left. Although I remember him saying something about having to get someone out of Spirit prison. I don't think he was too happy about that." The grim reaper responded, trying her best to remember. She too had been only partially awake when Koenma had summoned her.

Both Kurama and Hiei visibly stiffened for a moment at the mention of the prison they had narrowly escaped. Perhaps in the end it had been worth it, and they were no longer in any danger, but deep down the fear still remained.

"Isn't that where they keep all the really bad demons?" Kuwabara asked, having only heard of the place.

"Yes, all the demons that have committed heinous acts against Reikai are sentenced and held until they can pay off their debt or until their sentence ends." Kurama explained calmly.

"So why would Koenma be getting someone out of there?"

Kurama was about to reply again when the doors suddenly swung open and two people, one familiar and one not so, walked inside, neither saying anything. One was obviously the Rekai prince, who floated over to his desk. The other was a figure dressed in black rags that covered every part of their body, only a pair of eyes glowing from the shadow of the hooded cape. They followed him to his desk, jumping up and sitting on top of it, much to the disapproval of the prince.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do toddler." Yusuke said, growling softly at his ex-boss.

"I'm well aware Yusuke. First off I'd like to introduce the person who is going to be helping you out on this mission, her names--" Koenma began

"A mission?! No way toddler, we were fired remember? You can't make us do shit for you!"

"No, but after you hear the problem I have a feeling you'll be wanting to do this. Its something of a personal interest for all of you." Koenma explained. "Komori, perhaps you could explain this better." he said to the person sitting upon his desk

"Probably, but watching you try is extremely amusing so I think I'll let you continue." they replied. There was a smirk in their voice, which was rather feminine.

Koenma shot the figure a look and then turned to the others. "For the past two years, even since the tournament ended, we have been working on pulling the spies out of Makai, while making sure things remain stable. With everything suddenly thrown out of whack we wanted to make sure that Ningekai wasn't in risk"

"You were there toddler, Enki declared peace remember?" Yusuke interrupted, not liking at all where this conversation was going.

"Yes, but that was Enki. Although he might be king that does not mean that everyone will be so eager to follow his rule. In fact that is where the problem is. It seems there is are a group of demons in Makai's underground are preparing to assassinate the king and use a very powerful weapon to set up their own rule. They don't seem to agree with your set up Yusuke."

"Well screw them! I worked hard on that damn thing, they can just get used to that." Yusuke yelled.

"And you can tell them that yourself. We're going to go find them." The woman called Komori said from the table. She had been silent this entire time, and now that she spoke her voice was still and demanding. Like Kurama's got when he was being serious about something.

"Oh really? And who died and made you Queen of the World."

"I did." Komori replied simply, a smile spread across her features. She had pulled her hood away, revealing her demonic features, much to the surprise of at least two occupants of the room.

However Yusuke's surprise was quickly swept away, replaced by annoyance. He began to retort but the demoness turned her blue eyes fully towards him, blue boring into brown, and spoke again.

"Yusuke, son of Raizen, as nice as it is to think you have a choice in the matter, the truth is you don't. None of us do. Now either you can accept this and we can get this finished up a lot faster or you can do this the hard way and it can take much longer. Either way we will be going to Makai, and retrieving the Circle of Fear. So, my lord, will we be doing this the easy way or the hard way?"

Everyone paused a minute, staring at her. Even Hiei, who had been watching from the corner closest the door, was looking up at her with a raised eyebrow. She was serious, dead serious. Her eyes were still tuned to Yusuke, awaiting a response.

The teenager shifted slightly under her glance but then sighed, "So when do we leave?"

Komori grinned and turned back to look at Koenma, who was staring at her in disbelief. "Hopefully as soon as possible, right Lord Koenma?" she said, now sounding like a teenager sucking up to a teacher for a better grade.

"Tomorrow evening, from Genkai's temple." he said, rolling his eyes at the grinning demon on his desk. "That should give these four time to prepare for their departure."

"So how long are we going to be gone this time?" Kuwabara asked.

"A week at the least, a year at the most." Komori replied. She was given several different looks in response. "Fine, a month or two at the most. It depends on where everything is and how far we are going to have to go to find them."

Again more confused looks. She sighed, Koenma hadn't told them anything about it. "I'll explain tomorrow before we leave since it doesn't look like prince boy is going to be doing it for me."

Yusuke opened his mouth to comment but Koenma cut him short. "We'll meet you tomorrow around sunset."

It was an obvious dismissal and slowly the four got up and left the room, one muttering something under his breath while another reprimanded him.

Komori watched them go and after several minutes jumped from her perch and began to follow them out. At the door she stopped, turning back slightly to the prince sitting behind the desk. "I'm expecting you to pay me back in full."

"I have already repaid you one debt. You know that you can count on me to keep my word." the prince replied calmly. Komori continued to stare at him, as if questioning his sincerity.

"Don't worry, my debt will be paid." Koenma sighed.

She stared at him for some time longer before she turned and walked out the door.

* * *

"It has begun then."

"I suppose so. A thousand years and this is still burning strong. I wonder if he even knows yet."

"Knowing him, probably not. Once upon a time he would have caught on before it even happened, but I'm not so sure now."

"He'll figure it out in due time I'm sure."

"Well of course. She won't want him to be totally dumbfounded until the end. That takes the fun out of it."

The other laughed. "So how long do you think it will take him?"

"Five pounds of gold says a week."

"You're on."

* * *

A repost of an old story that I've suddenly picked up again. No changes have been made to chapters expect the changes to the story title.

I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Komori, and a few other characters that will show up and be mentioned later in the story.

Read and review.


	2. Chapter 2

The Spoils of War

Chapter Two

What?

It is said that with the passing of time three things will occur.

One. Things will change. Whether it be for the better or for the worse, as times passes things will succumb to change. That must be accepted.

Two, a present time will fall into memory. As time continues more memories will build up and only the most important will remain. This is how one can accept their lives and what they have to tell their story by. This is also how one can see what kind of lives they lead, whether they be pathetic or adventurous. This also must be accepted.

Three. This is more like a combination of both things. Some people see it as the obvious and care not to state it. I am not one of those people. The two previous are also obvious, but are stated, and I just like the number three. The third is that with the passing of time, memories of some occurrence and/or person will change the path in which one lives. This change is very different from the first change, which mainly suggest age and physical state. This memory is also different for it is so great that it has completely changed the way a person has lived. This must also be accepted, although sometimes it is hard to.

All of the above I agree to and accept. To not do so would be to deny nature and when you deny nature bad things happen. I've seen it happen a thousand times. When you try to deny the very thing that you are apart of you threaten the very nature of your own self and thus put yourself in way of your own destructive tendencies.

But that is my own philosophy and I find that many people are offended by it. Probably because people can't seem to take the truth, but again, my own personal opinion.

* * *

The next day passed quickly for four teenagers who were being pulled out of retirement far too early. Ok, so make that three teenagers and one ageless demon, all of which retired far too early anyway. So, they rather lost all sympathy there. Not that they would have much appreciated it anyway.

As the sun set beyond the horizon, the last of its rays found these four in a very familiar temple. They had been there for an hour, waiting.

"And he's late again. Honestly, he's losing his touch." Kuwabara muttered as they sat in silence, waiting for Koenma to appear with their little guide.

"No doubt he's having some problems getting Komori out of her cell. I'm rather surprised she agreed to this in the first place." Kurama commented from his place across from him.

"She was weird. ...Wait, you know her Kurama?!" Yusuke asked, looking over at the fox with a shocked expression. The way he talked about her certainly suggested that he did.

"Only in passing. I've seen her here and there a few times." he replied calmly, his face never changing expression.

"Right. She didn't seem to recognize you though."

"That isn't surprising. Its been many years since then."

"When you were Youko and you had that thief clan right?" Kuwabara asked, also very interested in the subject.

"Correct. I made many enemies then. I suppose she was one of them." The fox replied with a shrug.

"Would you really consider me an enemy? I thought I was more of a rival than anything else." came a familiar female voice from the shadow behind Kuwabara. "And I hardly doubt you can consider six-hundred years as 'knowing someone in passing', even for one your age."

The sudden appearance of the voice caused said teenager to jump and yell shrilly. That noise thus caused Yusuke to curse loudly and snap out of his concentration on Kurama, who remained calmly in his seat.

Kurama chuckled a bit, his cool eyes turning to her as she became fully visible in the room. "Hello again, Komori."

The demoness nodded to him as she took a seat next to Kuwabara. "Hello, fox."

"Where the hell did you come from?!" Yusuke yelled.

"Outside." Komori said simply, "I didn't feel like interrupting your little discussion, so I thought I'd just slip in."

"But...how...where..." came Kuwabara's attempt at a question, his eyes darting between the shadowy corner and where she sat next to him.

"Komori is a shadow demon, Kuwabara. She can use shadows as a transport between places." Kurama explained, "So, Komori, how did you find out it was me?"

"I asked princey boy of course. Since someone interrupted our introductions," her eyes darted over to Yusuke who was still staring at her with a strange look, "I thought I'd ask him afterwards. He slipped up and began to call you Kurama before he gave me your human name. And since I have only known one Kurama, I put two and two together."

"Always were a quick one weren't you?"

"So, you two do know each other." Kuwabara noted as he watched the two talk.

"In passing." they both replied in identical tones, small smiles on both their faces.

"Of course, this time you aren't trying to seduce me." Komori commented.

"Not in public." Kurama countered. "So, Koenma won't be coming?"

"I told him I could take care of things from here. He told me Kuwabara could open a passage for us if I asked nicely." she turned to said teenage with a grin, batting her eyelashes and acting innocent. "You will open a portal for us, won't you Kuwabara-san?"

"Um...yea, sure." he replied, turning slightly red.

"Still using your same tricks then." Hiei sneered from the corner.

The demoness' blue eyes turned to him. "Well hello to you too Hiei. I thought I recognized that spikey hair or yours." she smiled a bit, not faltering as he glared at her. Instead she turned to Kurama. "I suppose he still hates me then?"

Kurama glanced toward the fire demon with an unreadable look. "I suppose he does."

"Well I suppose he has good reason." she shrugged.

"If it weren't for you we wouldn't be in this predicament." Hiei hissed, his hand at the hilt of his sword.

"Hiei." Kurama warned in a stern voice. Komori ducked behind Kuwabara, who was supporting a look of confusion.

"Ok, so what exactly is going on with you three?" Yusuke asked in slight irritation.

"Nothing." two of them replied while the other "hn"ed and continued to glare at the only female present. She was still using Kuwabara as a shield, leaving the teenager to break into a severe cold sweat as he began rethinking his purpose in life and questioning the existence of any being higher than King Enma.

"Riiiiight. So what exactly is this predicament we are in?" Yusuke asked again, looking between the three of them. Well four if you count Komori's body guard.

"Oh its nothing bad!" Komori said cheerfully, coming out from behind Kuwabara. "We just have to zip into Makai, grab a few items and take them back to Koenma. Simple as that."

Yusuke just stared at her.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"Simple as that? Lady, you don't know the toddler. Nothing is that simple if he is involved."

"Of course I know princey boy. I've worked for him for a millennia. It's just that when you've worked for him as long as I have you find ways to make your job seem a lot simple. Things tend to go by easier that way." she grinned.

There was a stunned silence.

"A millennia?! How did you not die?!" Yusuke yelled out.

"Well, seeing as I'm already dead, there was no risk involved."

"You mean you've been working for him this entire time?" Kurama asked a little more quietly, his eyes as wide as Yusuke's. Komori nodded to him, smiling.

"So, you're a ghost?" Kuwabara asked, backing away a bit.

"Yup! We'll to help you guys out Koenma gave me my body back. So, now I guess I'm the living dead." she threw her head back and laughed. The four just stared at her like the idiot she was.

Noticing the silence her laughed turned into a coughing fit. "Yea, I didn't think it was funny either." she muttered. "So, should we get going?"

"Wait, you never told us what we are doing." Yusuke said.

"Oh, so you want more of an explanation then? Well we are going to go steal a few items from some people, all of who are mostly harmless. Then run them up to Koenma then go about our lives I suppose, or living out the rest of eternity, depending on your current state of being."

"Why kind of items?"

"Oh just a few knickknacks. Nothing of great importance."

"Then why does Koenma want them?"

"To give to you as Christmas presents." Komori grinned.

"Mostly harmless?" Kurama questioned with amusement before Yusuke could strangle her for not giving him a direct answer.

"Yes, well, as far as I remember. Besides, I doubt they'd attack us." she stated off handedly.

"Doubt that could get us killed." Hiei spat from the corner. "Last I remember, you were accused of murder, bat."

"Hiei!" Kurama yelled, setting the demon with a glare of his own, his eyes flashing gold.

On the other side of the room Komori went rigid before turning to Hiei with blank eyes and shrugging "Well if that's what you think." Pushing herself to her feet she began to head outside. "We should get going." she said as she made her way for the door.

"Wait! Are you going to tell us about this damn circle thing or not?!" Yusuke yelled at her.

"Oh, so you remember it's a circle. That's great!" Komori cheered from her place frozen in front of the door.

"I'm not completely stupid! So are you going to tell us about it?"

Komori looked up towards the ceiling, as if pondering her answer. After several minutes of silence, Yusuke grew impatient, which (as you will come to find out later) isn't hard to become with Komori.

"WELL?!"

"Naa, I think I'm just going to let you guys think about it for a little while." she grinned, disappearing through the floor before a well aimed Spirit Gun cut through the space she has previously occupied.

There was a silence amongst the boys while Yusuke continued to fume in his firing position. Kuwabara was trying to restrain Yusuke from destroying the house while Hiei brooded and Kurama laughed silently with amusment.

"Well, I think that went over well."

Outside Komori was flittering around impatiently as she waited for her heard of boylings to follow her out. _They are no better than a group of thieves._ She thought to herself as she perched on the edge of the roof. After only a few seconds, she'd had enough of waiting and from a simple shadow at her side a black snake with golden eyes rose to great her.

Grinning she whispered something into its "ear" and the snake disappeared through the wood and tile of the building into the room. There was silence for a minute followed by a scream, some cursing, a bang, and a very soft bought of laughter. A second later a very flustered spirit detective burst from the house, another spirit gun powering up on his finger.

"Yusuke, please. As much as I hate to say it, we do need her in order to complete this mission." Kurama stated calmly as he followed the boy out.

"Actually...well...never mind, yes you do." the bat grinned from her spot on the house, ducking down suddenly as the angry teenager pointed his loaded finger at her.

"Don't waist your energy on her, Detective. She isn't worth it." Hiei said. Amazingly enough, probably because it was Hiei saying it, Yusuke slowly dropped his hand and Komori popped out of hiding.

"Why thank you Hiei. Never thought you'd be one to save my life, but that's ok."

"Only so that I may take it later."

"Ah." Komori nodded a bit before fluttering down to the ground. "So, shall we get going?"

"But you never said-" the teenager began again, but a slender finger over his mouth silenced him.

"All in good time, Yusuke-sama. All in good time." she said calmly before slowly backing away and turning to Kuwabara. "So, you can open us a passage right?"

"Umm...yea."

"Well what are you waiting for? Open her up!"

And so it was written. Powering up his almighty sword the mighty Kuwabara swung and ripped a perfectly sized portal between the dimensions between two trees. It shone with a few different colors as a gaseous cloud of imagination drifted by.

"Thank you Kuwabara-san!" Komori cheered from the side lines.

"Yea, sure, no problem." the teen blushed a bit. It was a amazing what a little bit of flattery from a she demon could do to a guy.

"So, off we go then!" she said, waving to the others to follow as she fell into the dimensional cut, disappearing into the pseudo space.

* * *

"It has begun, Mitsuru."

"I expected as much. With a matter such as this she won't want to be wasting any time at all."

"No, I suppose she wouldn't. Although one thing does bother me."

"What would that be? That she and the youko are getting along so well?"

"No. That I anticipated. A millennia of servitude has subdued her. She doesn't fight like she used to."

"Then what?"

"That you and your men aren't there to intercept them."

"You want us to introduce ourselves so soon? Wont' that just ruin the show?"

There was a silence while one contemplated on his subordinates observation.

"Mitsuru, I think you're right. Hang back for now and watch them. I think there might be a way to make this all the more entertaining."

There was another silence.

"You're horrible at this dark overlord thing, you know that right?"

"Yea, I know."

* * *

Ok, things I need to clear something up. I know that Hiei isn't old enough to have known Komori if she died 1000 years ago, but I had to do some altering of dates and things. So, Hiei is actually older than usual by about 1200 years or so. Yea, I think that's a safe estimate.

I'm also going to put Kuronue's death at sometime within the past 500 years, meaning he went up to Spirit World. That will come up later no doubt (as it always does) and I just want to get it out of the way.

Also, the chapters begin with something from Komori's pov. I meant to add that to chapter one, but I forgot. You are welcome to skip them, but they do give some insight into everyone's favorite batty!

Please review people, it makes me want to write more.

And as usual, I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. I do own Komori, all other seemingly original demons and the "Christmas presents" that will appear throughout the story.


	3. Chapter 3

The Spoils of War

Chapter Three

The Broken Hour

Love.

Everyone always speaks of love with such awe and longing. How everyone, especially humans, wants to be in love. I don't see what the big deal is. I was in love once and I hope I never am again.

Hating someone is the best thing you can do for them. Hatred between two people burns with a fiery passion between two souls and in some way connects them to each other. And although they are connected with the common bond of hate, the maintain their identities as themselves and thus are two separate people joined in their hatred. Should they separate, should their hatred die, there is no pain to suffer. No loss to mourn. There is only the joy of them being gone from you. And the fire dies and there is peace.

You do not question Hate as you question love. Hate is not as hard to find or describe. Hate is not so rare and Hate does not cause you pain. Hate can heal. Hate brings out the worst in people so no one can hide behind it. Hate introduces true character and does not have to hide behind closed doors.

Hate does not mourn. Hate only rejoices.

Worse things can be done than hating someone.

* * *

A short trip through the pseudo space found the five new allies plummeting towards Makai's surface at a very great speed. Three of the five had been in this situation before, another had ridden in on his Beast, and the other was used to it.

"Whoa, now there is that silver hair that I know and hate with a passion!" Komori said with a grin as she fell. Kurama had transformed somewhere between them entering the space and falling out, although which Komori wasn't sure of.

"I always thought it was my eyes that you hated." the silver fox replied cooly.

"Oh yes, I hated your eyes most of all, but I hated your hair second. It always made you stand out. Knew I couldn't run if I saw that hair."

"I'm glad you two are having this nice reunion and all, but incase you didn't notice, we're falling very quickly toward very flat land." interrupted Hiei, sounding a little on the annoyed side.

"Aww, what's the matter Hiei? Afraid you won't be able to survive the landing?" Komori teased.

"Not like you would either!" Kuwabara yelled in a panic.

"Actually, I will." came the simple reply.

"Komori, stop taunting Kuwabara please. He is my friend and I'd rather like him to live if you don't mind." Kurama's cool voice followed before said teenager could retort.

"Oh fine, if he means that much to you." she replied.

Suddenly Kuwabara felt someone grab him under his arms and his speed quickly decreased to a much calmer rate. Looking up he saw a very familiar smiling face with a very unfamiliar pair of black webbed wings spread out behind her.

"Hiya!" Komori said innocently.

"Whoa, where did those come from?" he questioned, not remembering the wings being there before.

"My father's side. I inherited his wings and ears. Don't ya like em? They can hear things for miles around." Her ears twitched a bit, flickering about in the wind.

"I thought Kurama said that you were a shadow demon."

"Did he now? Well I hate to say that he is right, I am, partially. My mother was a shadow and my father was a bat, thus I'm a shadow bat." Komori smiled a bit. Behind her, her wings shifted catching the wind in their webbing and beginning to glide slowly to the ground. Across the sky Kurama had summoned the leaf of the plant to use as a glider, Hiei and Yusuke holding onto the vines that had grown down from him.

Kuwabara gasped a bit, his face paling a bit. "Does that mean you're blind?"

"Why yes, it does. You know you're the first person to realize that. In fact I have no idea where I'm going." she laughed. Suddenly she turned and began to nose dive, heading straight for the ground at top speed. Her passenger began screaming prayers beneath her, begging her to upright in between shouting directions and curses. All the time she just smiled happily, innocently free falling toward the ground.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke shouted, more worried about his friend than the crazy woman who was flying him into the ground. To his side, Hiei was getting a good laugh out of the little scene.

"Komori! Stop playing games and get up here!" Kurama yelled, his eyes narrowed toward the bat that was slowly disappearing.

Kuwabara heard Komori sigh. "Oh all right." Her wings spread out again and they slowed down again. This time however the appendages began to beat against the current, causing them to rise into the sky until they were flying even with Kurama.

"You were always ruining my fun fox." she pouted as she came up beside the others. She hadn't noticed that the teenager she was caring had gone limp with fright.

"Only when it can cause serious harm to someone else. Not to mention that every demon would have heard his screaming. No offence Kuwabara."

"None taken." Kuwabara replied lightly, still not completely recovered from that fear.

Once again Komori pouted. "Hiei thought it was funny." she muttered, only to be glared at by the silver haired fox, much in the same way a mother would at a child who had talked back. The bat just pouted more and withdrew to a safer distance.

They flew on slowly for a little longer, and then the inevitable happened.

"So, where are we anyway?"

"We are just now beginning to enter Thief's Narrow." Komori said casually. "But if you want me to be specific, we are at the edge of the desert Cisum. About, oh, twenty miles south of the Grand City. If its still standing."

"It stands." Kurama assured her, before turning to her with an amused look "You truly haven't come back this way at all, have you?"

The bat just shook her head. "No, I haven't. Only once, right after I agreed to becoming a spy. And even then I only stayed up north."

The fox only nodded and questioned her no more, although a very amused smile was pulling at lips.

They landed a little later in an open field just outside of a very large city several minutes later.

"Wow, I haven't seen a place this big since I visited Yomi." Yusuke said in awe as he stood staring up at a large tower.

"Yes, the southern grand city is quite large. Much older than Yomi's place though. Much older." Kurama informed him as he stared up at the tower as well, a strange sense of deja vu coming over him.

_A broken hour._

"They certainly have let this place go though. It used to be so very pretty. Looks rather sad now." Komori said as her eyes looked around the crumbling walls and the several buildings that lay in ruin. Her memory restored it to a very beautiful city, painted in golds and reds like the sunset. The buildings that rose into the sky and the busy markets and dealings of the merchants. Oh it was a thief's paradise!

And now it looked like it was used in part of the slave trade. Actually, it probably was.

The bat made a face and then looked over at the others. "So, you lot done staring yet?"

"What exactly are we doing in a run down place like this anyway?" Kuwabara asked, having now recovered from his flight.

"Getting drinks." Komori replied simply, already walking towards the city's entrance.

The group of four just stood there staring at her retreating form.

"Drinks?! She can't be serious." Yusuke snapped.

"Oh, I do believe she is." Kurama said, now back in his human form as to not cause any suspicion, "Although I'm not sure why."

"Well, foxy, I don't know about you but I'm going to need a drink before I go talk to them again. Any of them." she muttered as she walked towards the gates.

The redhead nodded a bit and opened his mouth to say something but shut it again and shaking his head slightly. He'd tell her later.

Two hours later found the boys none the wiser of their mission, but now handling a slightly drunk bat who seemed to have all the answers they needed. However, as countless arguments, civil disputes, yelling matches, drinking games, and thumb wrestling rounds had proved, she wasn't willing to talk.

During the entire time Hiei had stayed a distance away from the group, just watching her, forming his own opinion about what this was all about. It hadn't taken him long really to come up with a very well educated guess.

Komori led Yusuke and Kuwabara down the streets of the city, pointing out places that she had stolen things from and describing what the place had once looked like while the youko stood back and watched, looking things over as well. He couldn't believe how long it had really been since he'd been in this city, or even in this part of Makai. Like Komori, after he left he hadn't returned.

While still looking around at his surroundings he acknowledged the fire demon that appeared beside him. "Yes, Hiei?"

"This is about that thing isn't it?"

"I have dealt with many things that both Komori and myself would know about. What thing specifically do you mean?" he asked innocently.

Hiei growled a bit, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Don't play dumb with me fox. You know exactly what I'm talking about. The thing the wench gave to you."

Kurama looked over at him, a slender eyebrow raised. "Hiei, why is it that you hate her so? You know the war was over all very fun and no one got hurt."

His only response was a deeper glare and a knowing look. "You're avoiding the question."

Kurama sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yes, I'm sure it is. Although the exact reason why I can't say I'm so sure of."

The smaller demon stood there for a minute, looking over the other boy. After a moment his face dropped "You have absolutely no idea where it is, do you?"

Kurama smiled over to him. "Nope. Not at all."

Before Hiei could recover and pummel him they were interrupted as the rest of their group joined them.

"What are you laughing about Kurama?" Yusuke asked, a slight blush on his cheeks still from his drinking match with Komori an hour earlier.

"Oh nothing. Hiei and I were just trying to guess exactly what we are up to back in a place like this."

"Why guess when I've already told you? We're looking for a few useless trinkets so Koenma can give to you as Christmas gifts. Just don't tell him I told you that." Komori winked.

"Komori, I know what we are looking for." Kurama began.

"Well of course you do. Why else would he send us together?"

"Komori, the problem is that I don't know where they are."

For the first time since they met, the bat was silent. Her dark blue eyes bore into green ones, that were forced to look away.

"Don't know where what is?" Yusuke asked from the side. "Are you ever going to tell us what is going on?!"

No one responded. Komori was still staring at the fox with an expressionless face.

"I mean, we left right after you Komori. Things just weren't the same and we needed new grounds. As we moved the group split and different items went with different people and over the years we lost touch. Its been a thousand years Komori." Kurama explained, also ignoring Yusuke.

"You...they...you don't know. What about **_it_**?" she asked, still trying to comprehend what was going on.

"I know where it is. I left it with someone and I don't think they would have moved far these past few years. Its safe." He said calmly.

"What it? What the hell is going on?!" Yusuke yelled.

"Nothing." the two said sharply without turning to him. Yusuke shut up almost instantly and thought that he even saw Hiei flinch slightly.

Komori sighed a bit, running a clawed hand through her hair, looking north. "Where did you go?"

"We started north and dispersed as we went along."

"Over the mountains then."

"Yes, far over the mountains."

She didn't respond, but just kept staring north.

It was several minutes before Kurama spoke again, and when he did he sounded very hesitant. "They haven't moved you know. I'm sure they still have the others."

"I know."

* * *

Tehe, I love this chapter. Finally the plot is beginning to develop a little and its only going to get more twisted and confusing from here.

Honestly, it is, I don't even know what I'm doing.

Read and review people.

Oh, and remember, I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.


	4. Chapter 4

The Spoils of War

Chapter Four

Across the River

Death. One of the very few certainties of this world and the next. One that is understood in every language and tongue and is experienced by everyone. Death is the common factor that connects humans to demons and all of their kind to each other.

The process of being born guarantees that at some point further down the line (or, sadly, sometimes closer) you will go through the process of dying. Now Death itself is not so bad. Actually, it can be quite enjoyable if you look at it the right way. Think of it as a long vacation with your friends. Of course to some people that means an eternity of hell. To other it means an eternity of solitude, which may or may not be an enjoyable thing. All can agree though that Death is simple.

The process of dying, however, is not so pleasant. More than likely you will be dying by some other hands than your own. You will be murdered, killed accidentally, or die because your body can no longer complete the processes it needs to survive. Dying by the later, however, is rare and the likelihood that it will happen in your sleep is very small. Those that it happens to are extremely lucky and deserve the nasty looks given to them in the next life.

It is also extremely uncommon for one to die by their own hands. Suicide is greatly looked down upon because it is the refusal of the greatest gift of all. This is likely to get you beaten in the next life, if mentioned. That is, if no higher being intervenes in one taking one's life. They usually do, for one's own good.

And willing's one self to die is hardly ever heard of and nearly impossible. What happens to those who will themselves to die is very vague and can vary.

Mostly though, they are forced into servitude under a godling that refuses to give up his pacifier.

* * *

Several days later found the group of five following a very worn path through a very overgrown forest. Twenty miles to their west was an unnamed sea and to the east was a great forest that expanded to the other coast.

Of course, only three of the five knew that. The two humans in the group were completely lost to their location and the exact reason they were following this path north. All they knew was that this was the Merchant Path and that it had been used by merchants for years. That was all they had been able to coax out of Kurama before he had gone silent like the others.

It had been like this for three days.

Three.

Long.

Days.

Nothing but silence, except the sound of their foot falls or flapping wings. It was enough to drive any sane human past their limits. And today was the day that one such human had had enough.

"STOP IT!" Yusuke yelled suddenly. Birds resting around them scattered and everyone stopped and looked at him. "Just stop it already! We've been walking along this stupid path for THREE BLOODY DAYS in SILENCE! I don't care what you say, just say something."

"Something." came the cool replay from both Komori, Kurama, and Kuwabara. The teen did a face vault. But, then again, it was what he had asked for.

"Perhaps we should just stop here for a while and rest. We can get some food and–"Kuwabara began.

"And explain what the hell is going on!" Yusuke suggested. Above him, now perched on a tree limb, Komori sighed.

"Oh are you still on about that? Just trust me, won't you?"

"Why should I?!"

Komori shrugged a bit "Oh, I don't know. Because I'm so cute?" here she grinned innocently, looking quite cute by her standards. Although, by the very annoyed look on Yusuke's face, he didn't quite agree. "Alright, fine, don't trust me. Whatever, but I'm not going to tell you." she said sternly, not bothering to duck when a finger was aimed at her. She'd become used to being threatened. "Don't think I won't come down there and pull it." she muttered.

"Komori, we've been here four days. I think they deserve to know. Besides, we'll be out of here soon and then what? You can't keep this up forever." Kurama said calmly.

The bat sighed, running a hand through her hair, brushing out the tangles. "Fine, then you tell him."

"I don't know what we are doing, Komori."

She shot him a look. "Don't play stupid. Yes you do. I know you do. And even if you don't you have enough knowledge to at least fill them in on some minor details. Have fun now." she waved to them and before there was any room for argument she disappeared into the woods.

Kurama sighed and muttered "I see some things haven't changed." Before he could complete that thought, however, he found a very demanding Yusuke in his face. Kurama smiled innocently, sweat dropping slightly. "Alright, I'll tell you. Just sit down and get comfortable, it's a rather long story."

It didn't take him or Kuwabara long to find a seat on the ground, looking at Kurama expectantly. Hiei was probably hidden in the trees somewhere, knowing this story well.

"It started over a thousand years ago. At one time this was my territory, where my first clan formed and ruled. It expanded from the coast to the banks of the river many miles from here. The other side belonged to Komori. Our clan's often fought against each other for dominance of the surrounding area. At least it started out that way.

"For nearly three hundred years our clan's fought against each other. Komori and I weren't exactly what you'd call friends, but we got along on business terms and that worked for us for a while. Eventually though, Komori had a enough and started a war. A thief war to be exact. To be honest, I probably wouldn't be as well known if it hadn't been for that war. Every demon in every corner of Makai knew about it before it was over. Twenty-five items were chosen and out of them, six were very special to Komori. From the way she talks I'm guessing those are the six that we need." Kurama explained, his eyes staring off into the distance of the forest, and probably somewhere beyond.

"So who won the war?" Kuwabara asked.

Kurama turned his eyes to him, a slender eye brow raised and a smirk pulling at his lips. "I'm the most well known thief in Makai for a reason, Kuwabara."

"Oh." he said simply.

"What were the six items? Why were they so special?" Yusuke asked next, still needing things to be answered.

"The Fire of Yrael, the Perception of Id, the Common Blood, the Dark Mirror, the Broken Hour, and the Circle of Fear. I never gathered exactly why they were special to her. All I know is that in the war whoever got the majority of the first five would receive the Circle of Fear. It was the last item and the determining factor in who won the war."

"So you have it."

"Yes. Komori gave it to me one night at the end of the war. I was going to see the information on the final item and she met me there and handed me a scroll of paper and just smiled like she does now. It was strange, but she seemed to be able to accept the fact that I had won."

"Wait, she just gave it to you when she could have kept it for herself?!"

"Yes. The Circle was her's to begin with. She'd hidden it in the list she created to be fair about it. If she had kept it she could have declared herself victor, but instead she handed it over. I think that's why Hiei hates her so much, because we didn't deserve it."

"You should have won the war by your own means, fox. You didn't need her to hand it to you." said demon snarled from somewhere in the trees nearby.

Kurama sighed. "We've had this discussion before Hiei, I'm not going to have it again."

"Hn."

"So, we're looking for six things, not one?" Yusuke said, although more to himself.

"That's what it sounds like. She's only mentioned the Circle, but I know she's thinking about the other items as well."

"How?"

"Because she was upset when I said I didn't know where they were. Komori hates this place, that much I can tell. If we didn't need them then she wouldn't bother to be sticking around to get them." Kurama explained softly, looking off into the thick forest of what was once his.

Suddenly there were applauds from behind them, "Very good fox boy. It seems you did learn something after all those years of fighting with our precious leader."

Four heads snapped up, keen eyes turned to the direction of a voice. A tall figure stepped out onto the path several feet from where they had stopped. He stood at least 6'5" tall with black and white hair that fell to his waist. A pair of black and white ears sat tilted back in amusement on top of his head while a matching tail flickered lazily behind him. His skin was almost as dark as his hair, causing his golden eyes to glow.

The new demon smirked, his eyes on Kurama. "And here I thought we had finally gotten rid of you for good. I should have known you wouldn't go down so easily."

Kurama smirked, now standing, a familiar rose in hand. "If a war won't stop me then why should death?"

The demon chuckled a bit. "Touche. So, what are you doing back now? I do hope your not trying to take back your territory."

"No, no. I'm not interested in this spot of land anymore. However, I do think you have an idea of why I'm here."

The demon shrugged, but the knowing smirk told them otherwise. "Perhaps."

"You know who this guy is, Kurama?" Yusuke asked, keeping a careful eye on the dark demon before them.

"Yes, he is a member of Komori's old clan. At least, he used to be. Although, he was never significant enough to remember his name."

The demon sighed, shaking his head a bit. "And here I had so hoped you would remember. It would have made this so much fun."

The four raised and eyebrow, but before they could ask what he meant he was smiling, holding his open palm stretched out toward them. He smirked and a bright light flashed before their eyes. The four quickly tried to shield their eyes, growling.

The demon smirked. "Remember me now, Youko?"

Kurama hissed, but said nothing, his eyes clenched shut.

"Ah damn, what did he do?!" Kuwabara yelled out, his eyes also closed, momentarily blinded with the rest of them.

"He blinded us, that's what!" Yusuke replied angrily. "Damn cheep trick. He knows he's outnumbered so he's leveling the playing ground."

The demon chuckled. "No, I'm just trying to isolate my opponent. I'm sure you understand that, Mr. Urameshi, son of Raizen."

"Then why not fight me?" Kurama hissed, preparing his rose whip.

"Oh trust me, I plan to." replied the demon. Kurama had just enough time to open his eyes to see a sword coming down at him. He rolled away just as the blade connected with the area where he once stood.

The demon smirked and followed the still slightly blinded fox. Kurama ran away from his friends and into the forest that was once his; he could hear the demon follow him. Kurama hissed as his vision remained blurred and whipped his vine of thorns toward the demon who was following him. The demon dodged to the sides and continued to advance on him. Kurama could hear him bouncing off the trees over head. He waited and ran until he could sense the demon right over head. With a sharp flick of his wrist his Rose Whip extended and he felt it wrap around the demon's ankle and he pulled, followed shortly by a thud.

The demon laughed. "So, that's how you are going to play, eh fox boy?" A swift movement of his sword and the demon was free, moving quickly to face off with Kurama again. Kurama quickly pulled a seed from his hair, feeding it energy, allowing the vines to grow over his arm and hand, forming a sword of their own. He readied himself for the blow, but it never came. Instead he heard metal clash against metal and a very familiar growl.

"Back off Mitsuru." Komori growled as she struggled to gain the upper hand against Mitsuru.

Mitsuru smiled. "Ah, Komori, I was wondering when you were going to show up. Who would have thought that you would ever be defending him."

Komori growled deeper and with a surge of energy was able to push him back. She remained in place, standing in front of Kurama, her sword at her side, glaring death at the wolf demon before her. "Go, Mitsuru. You know the limits of my strength, you know you don't stand a chance."

Mitsuru picked himself up and dusted himself off. He looked up at the other two and smirked. "Ah, that I do. But then again, so did Yuto, and you didn't seem to have any problem using said strength against him, now did you?"

Komori's eyes narrowed and with a flick of her wrist Mitsuru was surrounded by darkness, small black imp-imp like beings beginning to pull him down and hold him there. Another flick of her wrist and he had risen into the air.

Mitsuru wasn't smirking anymore. "Komori, it was a joke, love. Come, you know I never believed that you killed him." He said quickly, his eyes darting around in panic.

She said nothing but clenched her hand slowly into a fist. As she did Mitsuru howled in pain.

"Komori stop!" Kurama yelled from behind her.

Suddenly Komori's eyes focused and her hand relaxed and fell to her side. A moment later the darkness around Mitsuru disappeared and he fell to the forest floor. He glared up at the two before disappearing into a flash of light.

Slowly Komori's wings fell away from shielding her and Kurama from the flash. "I suppose he blinded the others didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. I forgot who he was and that he had that ability."

"Yea, well, its rather confusing that a black wolf would have the power of light." she shrugged as she began to walk back towards the sound of Yusuke yelling.

"So what was that about?" Kurama asked.

"I don't know, he's not one of mine anymore, remember?" Komori said as she walked up to Yusuke. "Oh hush up you, you're not making this any better for yourself."

"Where the hell have you been?! You suddenly go off and leave and low and behold a demon attacks while you are gone! I don't know about anyone else but that is damn suspicious!" Yusuke yelled. "Hey, what the hell are you doing?!"

Komori covered his shut eyes with her hand. "Just shut up and slowly open your eyes." she said sternly.

Yusuke growled a bit but complied. Slowly he opened his eyes into darkness that gradually became lighter and lighter until Komori's hand fell away and he could see perfectly.

"Whoa. How did you do that?"

"He was light and I'm a shadow. We cancel each other out." she said simply as she began to repeat the process on Kuwabara and then on Hiei.

"So, who was that anyway?" Kuwabara asked after everyone could see again and things had seemed to calm down.

"His name is Mitsuru. He was a thief in my clan who has the ability to use powers of light and illusion. Thus why he could blind you with a flash of light and make you think that you were still blind. Apparently he only wanted to fight Kurama since I didn't have to heal his eyes." Komori explained as she began to clean under her nails with the end of her sword.

"He was one of your guys?! Then why the hell did he attack?!" Yusuke said.

"Because he isn't one of my guys anymore. I'm dead, remember? I don't run a clan anymore." she said simply. "It's late and we need to be in Farren by tomorrow afternoon." she said as she moved up into a tree, preparing to sleep.

"Why Farren?" Kurama asked.

Komori couldn't help but smirk. "Because that's where the merchants are, remember?"

* * *

He laughed. "Mitsuru, you should have known better than to say something like that. You know it angers her more than anything."

Mitsuru growled a bit from his place in the corner. "I didn't think she would go that far."

"Well, now you know better. Next time I expect you to try though. That was truly a pathetic display and I know she knows that."

"Of course she knows it. If I hadn't of opened my big mouth she wouldn't have even attacked."

"But you just can't keep that trap of yours shut can you?"

"Hey, now at least we know how far she is willing to go."

He chuckled. "I told you she wasn't going to hold back. That was never the plan, now was it?"

Mitsuru said nothing and returned to his corner to gain control of himself after Komori's attack on his spirit.

The other just watched him with a smirk before leaving the lone wolf to heal by himself.

* * *

I'm not sure how well this chapter flows. I wrote one half probably more than 6 months ago, and the other half today. I'm also sorry if it is confusing, but I'm not great with fight scenes. I promise the next chapter will be much more fun.

Please review, even if it is to just say my story sucks. Constructive critism is always greatly appreciated.

And lots of love to my imouto-chan, for always having the first review on a story and for helping me fix the summary.


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